Method of producing a. food accessory compound



Dec. 20, 1932.

.| A.-TU\ IIN METHOD OF PRODUCING A FOOD ACCESSORY COMPOUND OriginalFiled July 10, 1931 Patented Dec. 20, 1932 UNITED STATES LOUIS A. TUVIN,OF GREAT NECK, NEW YORK METHOD OF PRODUCING .A. FOOD ACCESSORY COMPOUNDOriginal application filed July 10, 1931, Serial No. 549,977. Dividedand this application filed June 17,

' 1932. Serial No.- 617,916.

This invention relatesto a method of producing a food accessory compoundhaving a medicinal or remedial action on the intestinal tract, and theinvention forming the subject matter of the ap lication is a division ofmy application led July 10, 1931, Serial Number 549,977.

It is well known that psyllium seed taken alone into the system isbeneficial in the treatment of constipation in that it furnishes bulk,roughage and lubrication provided, however, that the individual takingthe same into his system will always remember to drink large quantitiesof water or other liquids and give to the seed plenty of time to absorbthe moisture thus provided and thus expanded to form the bulk, androughage as well as to permit the mucilaginous and oily content of theseed to become distributed throughout the intestinal tract and thusperform the function for which psylliumseed is taken.

To more fully define the objections to taking psyllium seed alone it mayhere be explained that this seed owes its properties to a high yieldofmucilaginous exudate which the seed gives out when placed in contact.with water or other liquids. The seed absorbs a volume of moisture manytimes the volume of the seed itself. As heretofore explained theconstant absorption of moisture by the seed while it is in theintestinal tract is absolutely necessary. If a lack of moisture exists,then a dangerous condition may result from impaction of the bowels orthe formation of bezoars, which may'easily bring on seriouscomplications. In cases of spastic constipation psyllium seed alone withits roughage content acts as a positive irritant.

One of the principal objects of my in- 40 vention is to overcome thedefects as above outlined with respect to the use of syllium seed alone.Its aim is to permit of the use of this most otent and desirable productin a safe and t-r more efficient manner than has heretofore beenpossible. A further object is to permit of the use of'psyllium seed andat the same time eliminate entirely the danger of one taking this seedinto the system and failing to at the same time furnish ,sufiicientmoisture so that the results sought by but also provide for rapiddisintegration of its use will be accomplished without inuriousefl:'ect,z

Another object of my invention is to so treat psyllium seed that it willnot only have a more appetizing appearance, but will also 5 have a moreappetizing taste than can be said for psyllium seed alone. Furthermorethe ingredients used to accomplish the foregoing results are substanceshaving great and rapid absorptive qualities so that the fluidcustomarily taken into the system at the time of taking my compound intothe system will almost immediately be absorbed so that there will alwaysbe a sufficient amount of moisture to cause the seed itself to performits function without any danger of impaction or the formation ofbezoars. In fact if my com-' pound be taken without liquid the salivaryfluid of the mouth will be sufficient to cause it to function properly.In other wordsthe psyllium seed is encased in a highly absorbentcompound which, when moist, produces a jelly-like, soft mass therebyproviding a moist bed for the fullest development of the beneficentqualities of psyllium seed.

Because of the naturally smooth and oily surface of psyllium seed in itsnatural state and its tendency to swell upon coming in contact withmoisture, it has heretofore been con.- sidered impossible to so treat itthat the substances necessary to bring about the proper results wouldadhere tothe seed. I have however discovered that by applying alternatelayers of sugar coating and gum coating'in a manner hereinafterdescribed, I'amable thus to build up out of each extremely smallpsyllium seed a granule from threeto five times the normal size of theseed alone. The coatings thus'applied not only adhere to the seed,

the mass; rapid absor tion of moisture by the mass, thus formin 1n theshortest possible space of time, a so t, limpid, coherent, gelatinousmass a hundred times or more in volume the volume of the originalmaterial. 05 Since each seed thus has a moist gelatinous masssurrounding it (Fig. 4) to assure to the seed itself the moisturerequired to make it expand and exude its gelatinous and oily content,the seed itself never has the opporremains distributed in the entiregelatinous mass formed by the dose taken at one time by the user. Inthis state the compound is in the most desirable form to accomplish itsfunction of combining the waste products of the intestines and coloninto a coherent mass, which is thus well lubricated andgreatly enlar edin bulk, creating a natural stimulant to t e peristaltic action andeases elimination of the system.

It should here be explained that this prodnot is not a medicine in thesense in which that term is generally understood. Neither is it a food,since ithas small nutritive value. Its functioning in the intestinaltract is purely mechanical. The compound forms an inert mass in thesystem and passes through the intestinal tract undisturbed by thedigestive processes. Hence it is especially valuable in forming greatbulk within the intestinal tract, so necessary to promote peristalticaction, but also in providing the bulk with adequate moisture.

The use of psyllium seed has become so 'opular that it has become quiteexpensive. urthermore, when psyllium seed is used alone the dosage isgenerally two teaspoonfuls. By using my compound one teaspoonful is anample dosage for an adult. In fact this amountof my compound is moreeffective than two teaspoonfuls of psyllium seed alone. In oneteaspoonful of my compound there is not much more than one-quarter toone-third teaspoon'ful of psyllium seed. Yet the resultant gelatinousmass and bulkproduced by my compound is from 7 to 10 times the sizeproduced by the psyllium seed alone. The tremendous saving in the use ofexpensive psyllium seed is immediately apparent so that there is notonly a decided reduction in the cost of the product but a more effectiveuse of such of the psyllium seed as is. actually employed.

It should here be explained that the term psyllium seed used herein, isused in its ge-" neric sense as describing the generally recognized termfor the various species. Techniy cally speaking psyllium seed belongs tothe lantage family, known as Plantago psyli'u/m. There are also otherspecific kinds of psyllium seed, such as Plantago ovata and Zantagolanceolota. While Plantago psyllium as grown principally in France andSpain is recognized as the finest quality and most desirable, still myinvention contemplates the use of not only any of the various species ofpsyllium seed, but also any other seeds which may have the peculiarcharacteristics of psyllium seed, though possibly identified by someother name.

The invention will be best understood from a consideration of thefollowing detailed description taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawing, forming a part of this specification with the understandingthat the invention is not strictly confined to the showing of thedrawing but the articles may be changed and modlfied in shape solong assuch modifications mark no material departure from the salient featuresof the-invention as expressed in the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fiigure 1 shows an elevation of a psyllium see Figure 2 shows asectional view of a psyllium seed after the same has been processed ashereinafter described.

Figure 3 illustrates a tumbler in section with water and the customarydose of psyllium seed alone, showing relative expansion when thus used.

Figure 4 illustrates a tumbler in section showing the usual dose of mycompound after it has been immersed in water, the space between theseeds indicating a gelatinous mass through which the seeds aredistributed.

The compound embodying this invention has the following composition:

Psyllium seed, approximately 25% India gum, approximately 39% Canesugar, approximately 45% It should be understood in lieu of cane sugar Imay use either saccharin, lactose, or the like. Also that where alaxative efiect is desired by the user, I may incorporate into thecoating such medicine as phenolphthalein, podophyllin, cascara or thelike.

The manner and order of preparing the above set forth ingredients are asfollows:

The psyllium seed is carefully sifted and cleaned so that all extraneousmatter such as chaff, grit, sand, dirt and shell are removed.

The gum is granulated and powdered and sifted through a 60 to 7 O meshscreen.

The cane sugar or its equivalent. is dissolved, preferably by heating ina steam jacketed copper kettle at a temperature suflicient to produce athick but easy-flowing syrup.

The psyllium seed 5 is then placed within a revolving steam jacketedpanning machine having a temperature of approximately 120 Fahrenheit.Asthepanningmachinerevolves the hot liquid sugar is gradually sprayedonto the seed therein, thus causing an even distribution of the firstcoating of sugar 6 on the seed. Before the sugar coating thus applied iscompletely dried, 'a quantity of the pulverized gum is sprayed into thepanning machine and onto the sugar coated psyllium seed therein, thusforming a coating 7 of gum about the coating 6 of sugar syrup. vAcharacteristic of the gum used is that it has a greater afi'inity formoisture than the seed. Immediately upon the application of the gum tothe moist sugar coating, the gum tends to attract the moisture in thesugar coating away from the seed. This'action of the gum thus cooperateswith the heat to dry the coatings so rapidly that swelling or exudationof the seed does not have time to occur. In other words, the gum ishygroscopic to a greater degree than is the seed, or in any event itscapillary attraction is greater-s0 that the drying process of the firstcoating of liquid sugar and the first coating of powdered gum will takeplace by a drawing of the moisture outwardly and away from the seedbefore it can have any efiect in destroying the natural characteristicsof the seed embedded within the coatings. All the time the machine isbeing revolved so that the contents is constant- -ly agitated and notpermitted to cake. Furthermore the constant agitation of the panningmachine heated to the temperature above indicated tends to gradually drythe various coatings of sugar and gum alternately applied to the seeduntil the granules thus formed have been built up to the proper size,and have substantially the proportions of the various ingredients aspreviously described. Continuing the carrying out of the process, asecond coating or layer of sugar is applied over the first coating ofgum, and then a second coating of gum is applied over the sec ondcoating of sugar. This is continued until preferably four coatingsalternately of sugar and gum have been applied to the psyllium seedwhich forms the center of each granule,- as illustrated in Figure 2 ofthe drawing. I prefer that the last coating be sugar, but this is notabsolutely necessary. The advantage of having the lastcoating sugar issimply that sugar in the mouth immediately starts activity of thesalivary glands when the compound is taken without other liquids.

After the last coating as previously de-. scribed has been applied tothe mass rotating within the panning machine, the rotation thereofcontinued for approximately thirty minutes or until the coatings have hecome hardened throughout. The contents of the machine is then passedover sieves whereby it is freed from all loose sugar and gum particles.

While the final coating determines the precise color of the finishedproduct, it may be found desirable to add coloring matter to the sugarto give to the finished article a difierent color from the substantiallywhite color that it has when granulated sugar syrup is used as the finalcoating. 7 The addition of such coloring matter may be carried outwithout departing from my invention.

\Vhile the percentages of the compound may be varied as desired withoutdeparting from the scope of my invention, I have found that thepercentages herein set forth seem to give the best general results.

Aside from the'dangers and added expense of taking raw psyllium seed,there is also a tendency of this seed to become lodged in crevices ofthe teeth.- All of this is overcome by the use of my compound, which isnot only easily taken into the system either in its finished state or byaddin to other foods,

such as cereals and the like, at also has the advantages heretoforedescribed by combming a gum in such manner as to serve a doublefunction. This is the only method known whereby moisture may beintroduced into the colon of the system in connection with the use ofpsyllium seed.

Although the-commonly known designation of the variety of seed whichpossesses the characteristics desirable for use in this invention ispsyllium, it should be understood that although the claims cannotproperly be worded in the alternative, they are intended to include as apart of my invention the various varieties of commonly known psylliumseed which may be more accurately identified in a botanical sense asPlantag'o psyllium, Plan tag o avatar, and Plantago lanceolota.

hat I claim is 3- 1. A method of producing a food accessory compoundconsisting of heating and agitating under heat treatment a mass ofpsyllium seed; applying to the mass during agitation thereof a coatingof sugar; then while continuing agitation of the mass applying thereto acoating of gum capable of absorbing moisture and continuing theagitation of the mass until the coatings applied to the mass of seedhave become thoroughly dry.

A method of producing a food accessory compound consisting of applying acoating of sugar syrup to a mass of psyllium seed. then applying to thesugar coating a coating of gum capable of absorbing moisture while heatand agitation, sufiicient to dry the coatings and prevent caking, areapplied to the mass.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature hereto.

LOUIS A. TUVIN.

